


When the Clock Strikes Midnight (Baby Let's Run Away Together)

by BleedxLikexMe, Half-Dead-And-Still-Fighting (BleedxLikexMe)



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Angst, Bruises, Child Abuse, Gen, Phil Coulson has a daughter, here have some angst, it kinda gets better towards the end, vague descriptions of injuries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-20
Updated: 2013-06-20
Packaged: 2017-12-15 14:01:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,485
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/850376
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BleedxLikexMe/pseuds/BleedxLikexMe, https://archiveofourown.org/users/BleedxLikexMe/pseuds/Half-Dead-And-Still-Fighting
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you do when someone in your home has the power to take away everything you love?</p><p>You run. You take what you can and you run as fast and as far as you can and maybe, if you're lucky, you'll get somewhere better.</p><p>Maybe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When the Clock Strikes Midnight (Baby Let's Run Away Together)

**Author's Note:**

> Just want to make sure people head the warnings. There is child abuse in this. There is some swearing and lack of self worth. This was written as a form of therapy for myself, so yeah, it's not as 'good' as it could be, but I'm probably gonna write some more of this and post it.

Stevenie scrubbed tears from her eyes and winced when her hand met the bruised part of her face. Her eyes drifted over to her son and she gazed at him in his spot on his tiny bed. Clad in hand-me-down Captain America pajamas, the two year old looked peaceful. Thankfully, miraculously, he had somehow fallen asleep. His face was slack and his Hulk plushie was clutched in his hands. Staring at him, Stef knew what she had to do. Hasitly packing their things, Stef begged silently that her step-father and mother would not wake. They had passed out about an hour ago, almost instantly after the fight, and Steph wanted the dead of the night to be their only witness to their flight. As a last ditch effort, Stef grabbed the little address book Dianne kept locked up in the desk that was in Kevins study. Maybe she'd find someone willing to help her in there.

Once everything was stuffed into Stef's rickety old Honda she carefully strapped her son in. She was thankful Grant was still asleep, but knew he'd wake up as soon as the Honda started up. Steph didn't let herself cry anymore, she'd cried enough. She took some Tylenol and started the car. It roared to life and sputtered its protests, but Stef drove regardless of its wants. She needed to get out and get away, somewhere, anywhere was better than where she was currently.

She peeled out of the driveway and sped off. Grant grunted in his sleep, but didn't wake. Stef let out a sigh of relief and headed towards the freeway. Carefully making sure to keep most of her attention on the road and the traffic around her, Stef flipped through the pages of the tiny adddress book. She spotted her dads name with a list of addressed scratched out on it. On the bottom was an address that wasn't scratched out and Stef arched an eyebrow. Well, okay. New York it was. It was a three day drive to New York and, if she was careful, Stef could get there without breaking the budget. Once in New York, she could get to her dad, her real dad, fuck Kevin, and he might be able to help. She knew he didn't want to talk to her, but maybe he'd help once he found out that it wasn't just Stef in danger anymore, but his only grandchild.

Kevin, her step-dad, had started beating Stevenie about a six years ago. That, she could handle. She didn't have anywhere else to go and she could still function with the bumps and bruises Kevin gave her. Apart from the odd fractured wrist, shattered hand, and broken nose, he never really did any real damage. He stopped once Stef found out she was pregnant and until Grant was about eight months old, then, he fell back to taking his frustrations out on her. Stef's right hand flared in phantom pain as she recalled having to work and take care of Grant and the house after Kevin had smashed her hand with his ash tray. Nearly every bone was broken and Stef had simply wrapped it up as best she could before heading to work. At that point she was weaning Grant off of breast milk and couldn't afford to take any medication that might hurt him.

Her hand still clicked oddly whenever she moved it. Hours later, dawn was rising and Grant was waking. He was almost two now, his birthday was a month away. Stef glanced back at him in the mirror and nearly started crying right there. He had a faint bruise blossoming on his cheek from where Kevin had backhanded him after Grant had been 'pestering' Kevin to play superheroes with him. Stef had snapped then and launched herself at Kevin. She had thrown fists and snarled and kicked, but her mother, after shoving Grant off to their shared room, had dragged Stef off of Kevin and the two proceeded to beat her down.

Stef crawled away to their room after and helped Grant calm down (as she checked him over for more serious injuries) and go to sleep before she broke down. Forcing herself back to the present, Stef headed towards an exit to get the two some breakfast. She was far enough away that she didn't need to worry about Kevin or Dianne coming after them, but she still needed to be careful. She pulled into a Denny's parking lot and shut off the engine. She wouldn't need to get gas for another couple hours or so, "Mommy?" Grant mumbled sleepily, "Wha's goin' on?" He asked, rubbing at his face. His face scrunched up and Stef's heart squeezed itself hard, reminding her that this was all her fault, "M'face hurts."

Stef turned around and gave him a weak smile, "I know, buddy. I know. Mommy'll get you some ice so it won't hurt anymore, okay? Then we'll eat some breakfast. Sound good?"

Grant nodded limply, cradling his cheek, "Where are we?"

Stef tried to muster up some happiness for Grant but it was hard. After so much stress and fear, her adrenaline was wearing off and she was left with a bone-deep wariness and pain, "We're at Denny's. It's a place where we can get some food, okay?"

"What we doin'?" Grant fiddled with his Hulk plushie, squishing the fists occasionally.

"We're gonna see grandpa, okay? You're other grandpa, the one I tell you stories about." Stef answered as she pulled her make up kit out of her purse. She needed to cover her bruises as much as she could and then come up with a reason for Grant to have that long bruise on his face. She hated being pitied, hated it more than her old job at the factory and the mechanic garage in her old home town. She worked on covering the bruises and used flashy eye shadow to distract from what she couldn't cover.

"Gampy?" Grant was suddenly excited, "We go see Gampy?"

Stef couldn't help but smile as she applied mascara, "Yeah, booger. We're gonna see Gampy." Grant chatted to Hulk about how Gampy was a superhero (maybe he's Hawkee, Huwk. You know's Hakwee) and that he saved the world alllll da time. Stef took the time to finish her make up and grab her purse. She managed to get Grant unbuckled from his car seat in record time with little fuss and propped him up on her hip as she walked into the restaurant.

The hostess looked bored. Well, she was either bored or tired but Stef was too exhausted to bother looking deeper. Her dad had taught her how to spot those little nuances people did when she was young. He and Dianne hadn't ever gotten married or loved each other, but her dad was a fantastic father. He helped her with homework, kissed her ouchies better, made her lunch when she was with him, and made sure she was clothed well. When Dianne married Kevin, Stef was thirteen. She tried to contact her dad about how Kevin wasn't a good guy, but... nothing ever got through.

Her dad changed his number, he never replied to her emails, texts, or letters she sent. After a while she just... stopped bothering. She still sent him a letter every month, but it was more or less another obligation she suddenly had. Dianne became a drinker and matched Kevin drink for drink and didn't care when he beat Stef. Just cared that the neighbors had a better lawn gnome than they did. Stef got a job when she was fourteen. She worked for cash at a flower shop that needed things fixed, but couldn't afford to actually hire a professional.

Stef had saved up and got a car when she was fifteen, only spending money on bills Dianne and Kevin couldn't pay since they really only bought booze and food. Eventually, she got a real job at the grocery store when she was fifteen and advanced to manager by the time she was sixeen. She worked hard and didn't stop. Then she met Trevor. He was sweet and kind and nothing like Kevin. He nerded over comics with her and teased her good naturedly over her love of Captain America. They started dating and, when Stef was eighteen, she got pregnant. Trevor was scared, terrified really, but he was determined to stay with Stef, regardless of what happened.

They were in love, plain and simple. Sometimes they talked about running away and living in a nice city somewhere but they both knew they couldn't. Trevor's mother was sick with stomach cancer and Stef, well, Stef knew she'd never get away from Kevin and Dianne. It was a pipe dream, but they both liked to imagine it sometimes. They liked to pretend it was a real plan, that they'd get there someday. But three months before Grant was supposed to be born Trevor was killed in a hit and run. The stress and grief Stef felt sent her into an early labor and Grant had to stay in an incubator for nearly three weeks due to him having been born prematurely.

Grant tugged on her arm, still chattering happily about Grampy, "Wha's Grampy yike, Mama. Huwk don't know him an' you tell da best stowies."

Stef smiled at him, hiding her wince when her muscles protested the use, "What would you like to know, Hulk?" She asked the plushie.

Grant lifted the green plushie to his ear and nodded, "He wants ta know 'bout da time Grampy was a star man!"

Stef bobbed her head and leaned in close to Grant and Hulk, making sure to tell the story just right. Grant hadn't ever met his grandfather, but, hopefully, he'd like the man as much as Stef loved him. She told the story and a few more as they ate and then paid for their meal and headed back to the car after making a bathroom stop. Stef wanted to get a bit more road between them and Kevin before she'd let Grant run around and play for a bit.

Grant didn't seem to mind. He was content to play quietly for a while longer and Stef thanked her lucky stars and whatever god was listening that she had such a wonderful son. By the time she pulled over for a bathroom break Stef was cramping. Being in the same postion while her body tried to heal her wounds- which weren't all that bad, really. Just some deep bruises and a fractured collar bone. Nothing she hadn't had before- made her tense up and ache. Stef figured they were far enough away and that she could get then a hotel room until they were back on the road in the morning.

It went on like that for a while. Stef would tell stories about Grampy or Cap'n 'Merica and drive with breaks and stops in between until they reached New York. It took a long while for Stef to find the right address and she drove past it three times before she realized the giant penis shaped building was where she needed to be at. Huh, she thought as she pulled into the parking lot, maybe he works for Tony Stark's financial department and gets... what? Housing? Why would he list this as his home address? It was nearing sun down and she knew Grant was exhausted, just as she was. He was barely managing to keep awake.

She checked her make up in the mirror once before scooped Grant out of his car seat and heading into the building. As soon as she stepped in she felt completely under dressed. Everyone around her was in very nice business attire and looked incredibly smart. Sure, Stef knew her way around machines, but she had dropped out of high school. She wasn't smart, she knew that an accepted that, but these people made her want to duck her head in shame. Instead, she shuffled her feet, trying to will her ratty jeans and oil smeared tank top into being something nicer for a split second before she went over to the receptionists desk.

The woman gave her a poorly hidden look of digust, "Can I help you?"

Stef shrugged as Grant made whooshing noises with Hulk and flew him around, "I, uh, I actually don't know if I'm in the right place. I'm looking for my dad."

The receptionist nodded slowly, clearly not believing Stef for a second. Oh, she probably thought Stef was going to claim Tony Stark as her father. The woman plucked up her phone and poised her fingers over the numbers, "What's your fathers name?"

Stef rubbed her eyes tiredly before readjusting her grip on her son, "Uh, Phil Coulson. I'm Stevenie Coulson."

What she expected to happen was to be laughed at and escorted out of the building with the security saying "nice try, kid". But, what she got was the receptionists eyes widening as she dialed a number rapidly, "May I see some ID?" Stef shuffled Grant a bit so she could dig her wallet out of her back pocket and give the woman her ID. The woman looked it over and spoke quickly and quietly into the phone. When she hung up she handed Stef her ID back and pointed to a far hallway, "Down that way is an elevator. Push the top floor and follow the instructions provided." The woman gave Stef a tight smile, "Have a wonderful day, Miss Coulson. And if there's anything I can get you, please, don't hesitate to ask."

Stef just backed away and headed towards the elevator, stuffing her ID and wallet away as she walked, "Dat yady is silly, mama." Grant observed, giggling behind his Hulk plushie. Stef glanced down at him, smiling, but she had to fight to keep it on once she got a good look at him. She knew neither of them had been sleeping very well, but she didn't realize how sloppy she'd let him get. Once she was in the elevator, she set him on the carpeted floor and tried to clean him up a bit. She squatted down to his level, ignoring the way her muscles screamed, and started to fix his clothes up.

He was wearing a purple 'I Heart Hawkeye' t-shirt with a pair of black jeans and his bargain bin shoes that had little arrows all over them. Sure, he looked cute, but his dirty blond hair was all messy and he had juice on his face. Stef licked her thumb and carefully rubbed it off, not wanting to aggrivate his bruise. It had gotten to the "why yes, I am a bruise, thanks for noticing" stage and Stef knew how painful those could get.

"Excuse me," An english voice intoned, making Stef jump. She looked around the elevator wildly, eyes finally landing on a tiny camera in the corner, "I'm sorry, I did not mean to scare you. I mearly wished to introduce myself and welcome you to the Tower."

Stef tucked Grant close to her side and narrowed her eyes at the camera, "It's a bit creepy to watch people in the elevator, don't you think?" She snarked.

"I mean you and your son no harm, Miss Coulson. Mister Stark has simply  asked me to make sure you are welcomed properly before you are escorted to your father." The voice said smoothly.

Stef froze, "I'm sorry- Mister Stark? As in Tony Stark? Why the heeee- heck is he asking you to do things for me? What's this got to do with my dad? Who are you?"

"My name is Jarvis, I am an artificial intelegence that Mister Stark has created to help him however he needs. I am the eyes and ears of the Tower, so to speak. As for your other questions," the elevator doors opened with a soft 'ping', "I suggest you go see for yourself."

Stef knew it was silly, but she was sure that if she stepped out of the elevator that she'd be attacked. She was also sure that the elevator would drop if she stayed in it. So, decided to face the- hopefully- lesser of two evils, she plucked up Grant and carried him off the elevator with her. Her eyes spotted several different things at once. She saw three men lounging in a very large living area, one man was perched above them on a support beam, and a red haired woman in a smart business suit was talking to a brown haired man that was tinkering with the toaster, and another red haired woman was sitting with the three men, seemingly laughing at them all. Then, finally, her eyes found her dad.

He looked... afraid. Vulnerable. Worried. And when he spotted her, he looked angry. Stef tensed up and made herself walk towards him. She set down Grant and gently nudged him so he'd walk behind her. She didn't know if Phil would attack her like Kevin would, or if he'd even do it with so many other people around, but she knew one thing: she had to make sure Grant was safe. Phil seemed to soften all at once as he stepped closer to her, "Stevenie." He breathed, "What- what happened? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

And didn't that knock Stef for a loop? He was... worried. For her. About her. The last person that cared about her was Trevor and- well, he wasn't there anymore. Blinking back tears, Stef noticied all other activity had ceased. She swallowed hard, "I, uh, I need your help." She tried to end it there, to not say anymore, but, suddenly, she was seven years old again with a scraped knee and she wanted, more than anything, for her dad to make it all better again, "Oh, god. I need your help. I-I don't have anywhere else to go. Please don't make me leave." She sobbed and had no idea when she started crying. But there it all was and she couldn't stop.

Phil wrapped her up in a tight hug for a long moment before stepping back a bit, still close enough to have a comforting hand on her arm, "I'm not going to make you leave. Do you want to go somewhere where we can talk?" Stef nodded through her tears and scooped Grant back into her arms. He mumbled something and pat her neck as he succumbed to sleep. Almost instantly she stopped crying. She had trained herself to be still when Grant was asleep in her arms and it was instinct to do so by now.

Phil lead her to the kitchen and silently shut the doors. He sat next to her, but just far enough away that she had space to breathe. She looked at him and saw her father. Sure, he was a bit older, but he was the same man that had taken care of her, that had taught her how to read with Captain America comics, and the same man that had hugged her tight and let her cry to him when she needed it most. Without meaning to she began to talk. She told him everything. From the moment Kevin came into her life all the way to her walking into the kitchen with Phil.

By that time she was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue Phil had produced out of nowhere and was forcing her voice to remain even and quiet through sheer power of will. Phil had remained silent the whole time and now that Stef was done, he spoke, "I didn't get any letters, phone calls, texts, or emails. I think, I think, maybe, my new information wasn't passed along to you." And they both knew he meant that Dianne just hadn't given it to her. He gently rest his hand over Stefs own and gave her a small smiled, "I'd like you to stay with me, Stef. Here, in the Tower. Grant can be with you at all times if you want, but you don't have to worry about him not being safe. This is probably the safest place in the world for you two to be."

And just like that, it all clicked. Stef peered at her dad, "Just so you know, Grant is never going to let go of one of them out there. I'm pretty sure that by the process of ilimination, the one that was up high is Hawkeye?" Phil nodded, somewhat confused, "Yeah, no, Captain America is still the coolest in my world, but, according to Grant here, I'm so very wrong." She grinned widely at her dad, "Apparently Hawkeye is where it's all at."

Okay, yeah, maybe this could work. Stef knew it wouldn't be all rainbows and puppy dogs, but she had her dad and she had her son, what more could she want?

**Author's Note:**

> I know this will probably be taken as a self-insert or whatever, but I'm not sure I care. I needed to write it and post it to get it all out.


End file.
